Pacific Northwest Wildfire Coordinating Group
Operations Working Team (OWT)
February 18, 2014
Operations Working Team: Joe Krish (BLM), John Szulc (BIA), Steve Rawlings (USFS), Randy Johnson (WA Fire
Service), Brian Gales (USFWS), Larry Nickey (NPS), Ted Pierce, (NWCC Coordination Center), Liz Smith (WADNR),
Carla Schamber (USFS, Facilitator)
Via conference call: Robert Madden (OR Fire Service), Karen Swearingen (ODF),
Absent: John Ketchum (OR Fire Marshall’s),
Agenda Items:
PNWCG Steering update for meeting 2/19
Transition to single GEO board
Nominations and selection process for S-520/S620 candidates
Resolve the process for IMT selections
Response to Northern Rockies issue letter
Process for Type 1 teams in ICAPS
List of needs in ICAPs for Dale Guenther
OWT chair to get with new GEO board to work on transition plan for ICAPs and S520 selections
IMT meeting in Yakima
Round-Robin
PNWCG Steering update for meeting 2/19 – Joe will give presentation. Bob is unable to make it, so Brian and John,
who will be in attendance anyway, will assist Joe in presentation as needed
Transition to single GEO board – Operations Working Team (OWT) has sent in a comment paper to Steering
Committee. Dan O’brien was tasked with meshing the three GEO board’s charters into one document. It is currently out
for limited comment. The OWT is concerned about the amount of work and the timeline that it will take to transition to
a single board.
Items to consider to facilitate a smooth transition to one GEO board: Charter/meetings/form group, Mob Guide process,
Draft announcement letter in April, announcement letter for teams by Sept, ICAPS open in Oct., team selection process,
review/management of ICAPs, S520/S620 process/nominations, tie in with IC Council, complete time line below:
From PNWCG Steering memo of June 24, 2013. Dates were changed to more general dates for future use.
1. Develop a process timeline for next season – Present for review and approval by PNWCG by second week of June.
2. Share proposal with Oregon and Washington Geo Board Chairs for concurrence by second week of June.
3. OWT, OR and WA Geo Boards develop business rules/recruitment letter and selection criteria by first week of July.
4. ICAPS recruitment announcement to PNWCG for approval second week of September.
5. Distribute ICAPS recruitment announcement by October 1.
6. Sanitize and set defaults in ICAPS by October 7.
7. Present ICAP process to IC’s at fall IC meeting.
8. ICAPS open by October 7.
9. WA IC selections made and announced by November 1. Note: OR and T1 IC’s are on a three year rotation and have
already been selected.
10. IC’s evaluate number of applicants for IMT in ICAPS (periodic until ICAPS closes).
11. ICAPS closed by third week of November.
12. IMT Selection meeting in mid-December.
13. Complete ICAPS work to produce draft rosters by second week of December unless IC’s have specific vacancies.
14. Proposed rosters to PNWCG for approval by second week of January.
15. Publish final rosters and applicant status notification sent through ICAPS by end of January.
Action Item: Joe will contact Dan O’Brien for latest edition of the IMT charter and governance documentation. Joe
will then distribute to OWT members for comments. Need to look at process and management levels more fully.
Makes no reference to 520/620 issues.
Draft response to Northern Rockies Letter
Discussion on drafting a regional response letter with concerns on Evolving Incident Management proposal. Joe and
Brian’s comments were emailed to OWT members. Get comments to Steve by COB 2/19 and he will work on draft
response on 2/20, which will be given to Bobby to forward to Steering.
Action Item: OWT to get comments to Steve by COB 2/19 and he will work on draft response on 2/20, which will be
given to Bobby to forward to Steering.
ICAPs – Ted has contacted Type 1 teams. Rosters still being worked on. NWCC sent memo to Type 1 IC’s to finalize
roster. Now that ICAPs is a national program, it takes much more to make changes than when PNWCG ran ICAPS.
Send ICAPS concerns to Dale – Changes have to go to National ICAPs board,
1. Selection/Non-selection - Get ICAPS where default email is more streamlined. When person is selected to one
position, it automatically sends within that selection message the declination of all other positions that the
person had applied for.
2. Rework wording in non-selection memo so that it is not so abrupt.
3. Single access point. Team names updated.
4. One alt pool for geographic area.
Action Item: Carla will send out the date of when ICAP recommendations need to be sent in.
Team meeting in Yakima – Make reservations and send in meal information. April 14 GEO boards and ICs meet.
Team meeting April 15-16. PNWCG Operations the afternoon on April 16. Incident Business will be on afternoon on
16 and all day 17th.
S520/S620 process/nominations – Need to determine process and will new GEO board take lead
IMT Selection Process - Need to determine process and will new GEO board take lead
Agency updates –
USFS- Hoshot, captains and rappellers meeting soon. Region budget looking at possible increase which may
be used to cover less risk taking in budget programming. FALT/Prineville staff ride May 6-8.
BLM – Budget will probably be flat to small increase. Working on FALT meeting. Number of RFPA
meetings coming up.
NPS – Budgets look like they will be at last year’s level for PNW parks.
BIA- Corey’s retirement date may be pushed back a month to assist in transition.
ODF – Karen’s first official day in Doug Grafe’s position, so trying to catch up on what is going on.
WA DNR – nothing significant
USFWS – nothing significant
WA Fire Service – nothing significant
OR Fire Service – nothing significant
NWCC – John keeping up on seasonal outlooks, normal winter ops
OWT 2014 program of work – comments follow
S520/620
Incident within Incident follow up – continue to monitor
Type 1 Team IC – Recommendations forwarded to steering for 2014.
Alaska Share Task Order 1009-04 – monitor use for 2014 season. Adjust process as needed.
Re-advertise for the national teams – in the fall – coordinate with OR and WA GEO boards- Work with single GEO
board to get set up.
OWT member to mobilize with Type 1 team
Review Best Value Determination for Crew Contract 2015
Joe Krish to send Jim Edmonds notes from PNWCG OWT for 2014 to be posted on PNWCG website – delete out
team members PII below in contact list
Agenda items for next meeting:
TBA
Upcoming meetings of interest:
March 11-12 Hot Shot/Captain/Rappeller meeting in Vancouver at Armed Forces training center.
March 11-12 Large fire cost review in Vancouver
March 18-19 IC Council - Vancouver
April 14 GEO board, April 15-16 Team Meeting, PNWCG OWT April 16, April 16-17 Incident Business group
May 6-8 agency administrator preseason meeting/Staff Ride Prineville
OWT Liaisons to other PNWCG working teams
Training WT – John Szulc
Contract WT – Albert Kassel/Liz Smith
Aviation WT – Larry Nickey
Health and Safety WT – Brian Gales
OWT Schedule of remaining 2014 (0900-1530 approximate times) at Gifford Pinchot NF Supervisors Office
unless otherwise noted:
PNWCG OWT 2014 meeting schedule
January 16 – complete program of work
February 18 February 19-20 PNWCG Steering Lloyd Center (Bob and Joe only)
March 20-21 (21st only if needed)
April 16 – Yakima afternoon after Team meeting
May 15
June 19
September 18
October 16
November 20 tentative with IC fall council meeting
OPERATIONS WORKING TEAM MEMBER ADDRESSES
2014 Operations Working Team (OWT) member contact numbers and email addresses (Names listed in
order of which agency is next chairperson).
Joe Krish– BLM representative (Chairperson)
Liz Smith – DNR representative (Vice Chairperson)
Brian Gales – USFWS representative
Karen Swearingen – ODF representative
Steve Rawlings – USFS representative
Randy Johnson – WA Fire Service representative
Larry Nickey – NPS representative
John Szulc – BIA representative
Bob Madden - OR Fire Service representative
John Ketchum – Ad Hoc member
Bobbie Scopa – PNWCG Steering Liaison
Carla Schamber – facilitator
Ted Pierce – Dispatch Rep.